United States Government Accountability Office Report to Congressional Committees December 2019 SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS DOD Should Develop a Plan for Implementing Its Recommendations on a Future Wideband Architecture GAO-20-80 December 2019 SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS DOD Should Develop a Plan for Implementing Its Recommendations on a Future Wideband Architecture Highlights of GAO-20-80, a report to congressional committees Why GAO Did This Study What GAO Found DOD officials estimate spending an The Department of Defense (DOD) conducted a comprehensive analysis of average of $4 billion each year to alternatives (AOA) process for wideband satellite communications, as acquire and sustain wideband satellite determined through an assessment of the AOA against relevant GAO best communications that provide fast and practices. A comprehensive analysis of alternatives process indicates that the reliable voice, video, and data analysis team thoroughly addressed a wide range of possible satellite system transmissions critical to military alternatives. operations. DOD is considering how to meet its future wideband needs across DOD used multiple methods to obtain stakeholder input, in accordance with its many different operating environments Wideband AOA study plan. For example, the study team incorporated input from and scenarios. The National Defense across the military services and operational users, among others. Moreover, the Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 Air Force and Defense Information Systems Agency conducted interrelated required DOD to conduct a Wideband Communications Services AOA to studies to provide additional information to the Wideband study team. identify ways to replace current systems as the satellites reach the end of their DOD’s analysis concluded that integrating military and commercial systems into service lives. a hybrid architecture would be more cost effective and capable than either acquisition approach alone. However, DOD also found that it needs more The National Defense Authorization Act information to select its next satellite communications architecture and made for Fiscal Year 2017 contained a recommendations for further study. Examples of these recommendations include: provision for GAO to assess DOD’s analysis. This report addresses (1) • whether the Wideband AOA was Develop an enterprise satellite communications terminal strategy – comprehensive, (2) how DOD solicited DOD found the magnitude of replacing user terminals to work with new input from stakeholders, and (3) the systems was challenging and that more information on emerging technology conclusions DOD reached through the and possible changes to terminal acquisition approaches would help DOD Wideband AOA. address this challenge. • Invest in commercial technologies – DOD found that it lacked detailed GAO reviewed the Wideband AOA technical information on commercial systems’ cyber protections and that along with DOD policies, additional information on such protections would help DOD determine the documentation, and analyses; extent to which they would meet DOD’s needs. interviewed DOD officials and commercial stakeholders; and assessed Such recommendations align with GAO’s acquisition best practices for the AOA against best practices for a knowledge-based decision-making and have the potential to improve the comprehensive AOA process. department’s satellite communications acquisitions. However, DOD stakeholders said there is no formal plan to guide and coordinate implementation of the AOA What GAO Recommends recommendations. Without such a plan, DOD is at increased risk of not having GAO is recommending that DOD the information it needs to make timely, knowledge-based decisions on future develop a plan to guide implementation systems to provide critical communications for military operations. of the Wideband AOA recommendations. DOD provided technical comments on a draft of this report, which GAO incorporated as appropriate. View GAO-20-80. For more information, contact Cristina T. Chaplain at (202) 512-4841 or [email protected]. ______________________________________ United States Government Accountability Office Contents Letter 1 Background 3 DOD Conducted a Comprehensive Analysis of Wideband SATCOM Alternatives 8 In Accordance with Its Study Plan, DOD Used Multiple Methods to Obtain Stakeholder Input 12 DOD Concluded That Future Wideband SATCOM Requires a Hybrid Approach and More Knowledge, but It Lacks a Plan to Implement AOA Recommendations 16 Conclusions 23 Recommendation for Executive Action 24 Agency Comments 24 Appendix I Best Practices for the Analysis of Alternatives Process 26 Appendix II Department of Defense Wideband Communications Services Analysis of Alternatives Recommendations 30 Appendix III GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments 32 Tables Table 1: Summary of Final Wideband Satellite Communications Alternatives 10 Table 2: Results of GAO’s Best Practices Assessment of DOD’s Wideband Analysis of Alternatives (AOA) 10 Table 3: Wideband Analysis of Alternatives (AOA) Working Groups 13 Table 4: Examples of Wideband Analysis of Alternatives (AOA) Recommendations and Additional Information Needed 18 Table 5: Analysis of Alternatives (AOA) Best Practices for Comprehensiveness 28 Figures Figure 1: Segments of DOD Space Capabilities 5 Figure 2: Examples of Different Types of Earth Orbits 6 Page i GAO-20-80 Satellite Communications This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. The published product may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without further permission from GAO. However, because this work may contain copyrighted images or other material, permission from the copyright holder may be necessary if you wish to reproduce this material separately. Page ii GAO-20-80 Satellite Communications Letter 441 G St. N.W. Washington, DC 20548 December 19, 2019 Congressional Committees Department of Defense (DOD) officials estimate spending an average of $4 billion each year to acquire and sustain wideband satellite communications capabilities, including developing and fielding military satellite systems, contracting for commercial satellite communications services, and acquiring and operating satellite ground terminals. Wideband satellite communication capabilities provide fast and reliable voice, video, and data communications on a global scale to support critical military operations. For example, wideband satellite communications provide military leaders information on their operational environment and allow commanders to communicate with geographically dispersed units to help ensure coordinated, successful operations. DOD is considering how best to meet its future wideband communication needs. Several factors shape these needs, including an expected increase in military systems that depend on satellite-provided data; many changing operating environments and scenarios; and growing threats to DOD space systems. For example, in recent years, threats to DOD space systems that provide communications have increased, including anti- satellite weapons, communications jamming, cybersecurity risks, and environmental hazards in space, such as orbital debris. Congress, in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016, required DOD to conduct an analysis of alternatives (AOA) for a follow-on wideband communications system to the Wideband Global SATCOM system that includes space, air, and ground layer communications capabilities for DOD.1 DOD conducted a Wideband Communications Services (Wideband) AOA from December 2016 to June 2018. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 required DOD to submit its analysis to us for review and assessment.2 DOD provided the AOA to us in June 2019, after the Office of the Secretary of Defense finished its reviews. This report addresses (1) whether DOD conducted a 1National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016, Pub. L. No. 114-92, § 1611 (2015). 2National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, Pub. L. No. 114-328, § 1605 (2016). Page 1 GAO-20-80 Satellite Communications comprehensive analysis of satellite communications alternatives in accordance with GAO best practices; (2) how DOD solicited and incorporated input from military and commercial stakeholder communities during the Wideband AOA; and (3) the conclusions DOD reached through the Wideband AOA. To conduct this work, we reviewed the Wideband AOA report and all supporting documents, such as AOA working group appendixes on technologies and alternatives, cost analysis, and ground terminals that communicate with satellites, among others. We also reviewed detailed cost models, schedules, and other Wideband AOA supporting documentation. We compared the Wideband AOA against DOD’s Wideband Communication Services AOA Study Plan. We reviewed related reports on an Air Force pilot program and documents the Navy and Army prepared to support the AOA. We also reviewed DOD documentation related to wideband communication including the Wideband MILSATCOM Roadmap Report, the National Security Satellite Communications Systems Synchronization Roadmap, the 2017 Commercial Satellite Communications Expenditures and Usage Report, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction on Department of Defense Satellite Communications. Using information from these documents, combined with information from interviews with DOD officials who led or participated in the AOA, we assessed the Wideband AOA against the six criteria from our Analysis of Alternatives